Redeem Me: Oakville Series:Book Four (16 page)

“Look, Riley, I’m done playing your little games. I know Chelsie. Whatever she’s doing isn’t intended to hurt me or anyone else, but I can’t say that much for you. If you and your little girlfriend know what’s good for you, you’ll both stay clear of Chelsie and me,” I warn before getting in my car and heading for the cafe.

The entire drive over, I try to rationalize what they just told me, but it doesn’t make any sense. Chelsie wouldn’t dig up my past, not without discussing it with me first. I don’t know if Riley was lying, but I don’t think it’s likely. She knew too much. Chelsie is the only person I’ve ever told about Katie and my parents. She wouldn’t betray that, would she? The fact that she went and told Beasley without discussing it with me hurts. She betrayed the trust I placed in her. The more I think about it, the more pissed I get. I know I need to calm down and allow her to at least explain herself, but I honestly don’t know what explanation she could give to make me feel any different.

As I pull into the parking lot of Kelly’s Cafe, I see Liam changing Chelsie’s tire. I park close and get out. Chelsie sees me coming and a wide smile crosses her face. Running up to me, she wraps me in a hug. I expect my anger and hurt to dissipate from her touch, but it only grows.

“How’d you know I was here? I noticed I had a flat and when I went to call you, I realized I lost my phone,” she says without a pause. I’m torn. On one hand, finding out that she’s okay relieves me. But on the other, I’m fighting to hold back the anger threatening to come out. If Riley and her bitchy friend were telling the truth, that means Chelsie has been going behind my back trying to find out information about my past. I’d tell her anything she wants to know, all she has to do is ask. She’s acting completely normal, as if there’s no major secret she has to tell me. Now that I’ve seen Riley for who she really is, I hate to believe anything that spews from her mouth, but how did she know the things she did?

“Let me help Liam, then we can talk.” I remove myself from her embrace and walk over to give Liam a hand. I glance back at Chelsie and hurt flickers in her eyes. For a moment, I feel a pang of regret for being cold and causing that hurt. I give her a small smile, trying to make up for my shortness with her. Continuing forward, I assist Liam in changing the tire, hoping I can calm the emotions churning around in my gut before I have to talk to her.

Chelsie

S
tanding here, waiting for my tire to be changed, I stare at my feet, confused. Why is Angel acting so cold to me? I hugged him tight and barely felt his arms around me. He always squeezes me tightly and kisses me softly every time we see each other. The lack of those things causes an emptiness to form in the pit of my stomach. He’s always so sweet and kind, but not today. There’s something different in his eyes today. They’re darker, as if a storm is brewing inside them.

My heart is pounding as the guys finish up. As soon they are done, I’ll be alone with Angel, and for the very first time, I’m afraid, and nervous…really nervous. I feel out of sorts, uncomfortable around him, and knowing what I have to tell him makes me feel even worse with the way he’s acting. He seemed fine when we spoke an hour ago, but something changed. Liam and Angel talk for a moment. When they finish, I thank Liam for his help and he heads back into the cafe. Being left alone with Angel causes my palms to sweat. His eyes are trained on the ground below and I cautiously step closer to him, trying to get him to acknowledge me. He raises his hand, telling me to stop without ever raising his eyes, and my stomach drops.

“Did you go to Beasley and have him dig up shit about my past?” he questions, and there’s a hardness to his voice I’ve never heard before. Bile rises in my throat. His hands form into fists at his sides, and he clenches them so tightly, his knuckles are white. This explains his behavior. He lifts his head, his cold dark eyes meeting mine, demanding an answer.

“I need to explain wh—”

“Yes or no is all I want to hear,” he demands harshly, cutting me off before I can finish.

I jump at his tone, fumbling over my words.

“Yes, but it’s not what you think,” I spit out in a rush, praying he allows me to explain.

He moves close to me, grips my upper arms, and gently shakes me. “What I think is I trusted you with something I’ve never trusted anyone with. Paul and Kyle don’t even know about my past. But you go tell Beasley all about it, and in the process, Riley and Jamie,” he growls low, his anger barely contained. His eyes flash as his nostrils flare, and I try to pull out of his grip, but his hold tightens. He’s not hurting me, just…I need space to think.

“I only spoke with Beasley. I wanted you to be able to have closure. I wanted to see if I could find out what happened to Katie. I only wanted to help you,” I say, hoping he understands this was for him.

“You wanted to help me? By dredging up a past I’ve been trying my damnedest to bury most of my life?” he shouts, his voice hard. “I don’t need that kind of help.”

“I found some things out you’ll want to know, Angel. Just give me a chance to explain.”

“I don’t want to know what you found and right now, I don’t want to be anywhere near you. You betrayed me, Chelsie. You lied to me. I finally open myself up and give my heart to a woman, only to get a knife through my heart and in my back,” he says, his eyes filling with angry tears. When he turns to walk away, I reach for him, but he pins me with a cold stare. “I think it’s best we stay away from each other for a while. I don’t know if I can get over this.” He makes his way to his car, never looking back.

In a matter of minutes, my whole world falls around me. The tears flow uncontrollably, the pain of him walking away from me too much to bear. My legs give out and I collapse in a heap on the gravel parking lot. What have I done? I reach up and run my hand along my chest over my heart, attempting to sooth the stabbing pain. I half expect to feel a gaping bloody hole from where he ripped my heart straight from my chest. I have no idea how long I’m on my hands and knees bawling in the parking lot before a pair of arms wrap tightly around me.

“Let’s get you home,” Kelly says softly as she gently helps me to my feet. Liam opens the door to Kelly’s car and she helps me in the back before scooting in beside me and holding me tighter, letting me break down in her arms. I should be extremely embarrassed, but I can’t think past the pain. When we get to my apartment, Kelly helps me inside. I take deep inhales, trying to break through the weight laying heavily on my chest, and swipe the wetness from my cheeks with my sleeves.

“I can stay with you for as long as you need,” Kelly assures. I know she’s trying to help, but being comforted is not what I deserve right now. This whole mess is my fault; the ache in my heart is what I deserve. Angel is the one I’m worried about. He’s the one who deserves a friend to comfort him.

“Thank you, but I need to be alone. I really appreciate you bringing me home. I will be okay,” I lie. Being okay without Angel is not something that will ever be possible. The fear of a broken heart was the reason I didn’t want to get involved with him in the first place, I just never realized I’d be the cause of it.

Kelly looks at me reluctantly. She’s only trying to be a good friend and for that, I’m grateful, but I’ve made enough of an idiot of myself for one day.

“Okay. Please, call me if you need anything,” Kelly pleads. “Oh, here. This was in the cafe.” She hands me my missing cell phone. After a long and painfully tight hug, she leaves. The second I hear the click of the closing door, the dam breaks. Burying my head in the couch cushion, I let it all go, allowing the sobs to rack my body.

When my whaling finally subsides, I get up and go to the kitchen for a glass of water. My throat is raw from all the crying. Catching my reflection in the shiny stainless refrigerator makes me cringe. The puffy, bloodshot eyes, runny nose, and trembling lips is a hideous look. The pounding headache matches the pain in my chest. There has to be a way to fix this. If I could just get Angel to let me explain why, maybe he will understand and forgive me.

After chugging the glass of water, my stomach begins to churn. I barely make it to the bathroom before I empty the measly contents of my stomach into the toilet. Too weak and tired to move, I rest my head back against the cold tiled walls. It offers me little relief.

Angel

“A
re you ever going to tell me what the fuck is up with you?” Kyle questions. He’s worried. I get it. I’ve been a permanent fixture in this bar for the last two weeks. I’m on this stool from the time the bar opens until last call when one of the guys has to carry my sorry drunk ass home.

I didn’t want a relationship, scared I wouldn’t bring anything but pain and heartache to the poor woman stupid enough to fall for me. Never did I imagine I’d be the one left with the pain from a broken heart. The amount of strength and courage it took to let go and place my trust in someone else was enormous.

“I trusted someone who screwed me over once. I’m not making that mistake again,” I snap. Kyle shakes his head, clearly disappointed, and walks to the other end of the bar. I’m being a major prick, but it’s the only way to ensure I’m never screwed over again.

My cell phone buzzes beside me and I turn it off without looking to see who it is. I don’t have to. It’s Chelsie. It’s been Chelsie five or six times a day for the last two weeks. Her messages are all the same. She begs and pleads for the chance to explain herself, but there’s nothing she can say that I don’t already know. I trusted her with my deepest, darkest secrets and she betrayed me. She went behind my back, talked to Beasley, and allowed Riley and Jamie to overhear it all.

Lifting the whiskey bottle, I refill my glass. Before I can grab the glass, it’s snatched off the bar. Anger bubbles in my chest and I clench my fists in preparation to punch whatever brave fucker thought he could take my drink. Slowly, I lift my eyes to a very angry Holly. Her eyes are dark, and she’s glaring down at me as if she’s ready to rip my head from my shoulders.

“Don’t start with me, Holly. I’m not in the mood for one of your motherly lectures,” I say cautiously. She scares me when she’s angry, and by the determined look in her eyes, I can tell she’s not going to put up with my bullshit.

“I’m going to say what I came to say and if you have any attachment to your balls, you’re gonna keep your pie hole shut long enough to hear me out,” she spits out in an authoritative tone, causing me to flinch. I may need my balls again someday, so I keep my mouth shut and wave my hand, encouraging her to go ahead. A cocky smile crosses her face before she raises my glass to her lips, slams back my drink, and hands the whiskey bottle over to Kyle, who places a steaming mug of coffee in front of me. Asshole.